IN A HEARTBEAT ⋮ nomin

𝟭: one-sided competition

Jeno has powers. With just a single stare and snap of his fingers, he can make someone lust. Using such power, he messes with people to lower his own interest. It's fun and useful at the same time, all good until one particular human doesn't react to Jeno's spells. The human is named Jaemin, an asexual boy, who has no interest in sexual desire.

The first day of school is monotonous. Many people surround Jeno, and he feels suffocated. It gets a little better when he follows students to the big hall where the rector has prepared a boring speech.

At first, Jeno listens to what the man is talking about, but the longer the latter talks, the more bored Jeno becomes. He catches himself slacking off one, two times. Until he knows that he's already bored.

He starts looking at students around him but feels more comfortable staring at those who are a few seats ahead of him. An idea pops in his head and Jeno stops for a second to think if he should give in to boredom or not. He does as listening to the rector is way deadlier than his father's presence.

For his entertainment, he chooses the first human that catches his eyes. It turns out to be a guy with blue hair, who matches with Jeno and seems to be bored by the speech too. The male Jeno is targeting is looking down on his lap and tries not to yawn. He has a serious expression on his face as if he's at someone's funeral. Jeno feels like he's the perfect human for his game. Both of them obviously need something fun to happen.

That's why Jeno can't help but smirk when he stares at his victim for a few seconds and then snaps his fingers under the palm of his other hand. Jeno watches the guy in amusement, waiting for the latter's reaction but nothing happens even after two minutes.

The guy who not only has very nice looking blue hair, but also a good-looking side profile, still stares at the rector in boredom, no other reaction coming out of him. Such a sight makes Jeno furrow his eyebrows as people usually start shifting in their seats when he goes on the first level.

Confused, he tries to do the same to the other male in that row. It happens just as Jeno snaps his fingers. The shoulders of the second victim twitch and he even shakes his head as if trying to erase whatever Jeno made him think about. Jeno knows that it works just fine with that male, but what's wrong with the blue-haired one?

Jeno tries to explain that his first victim has good control over his thoughts and doesn't fall for his spell that easily. That's why Jeno tries once again. The raven head stares at the blue fluffy hair once again and snaps fingers right after the intense stare.

Still, no reaction.

Annoyed, Jeno does the same to the second victim. This guy reacts right away, though. He flinches as he visibly panics, already entertaining the culprit behind that. Jeno suppresses a laugh as the poor guy grabs his jacket to cover up his bodily desires.

But the first victim doesn't even move.

Jeno is impressed by his self-control and wonders how long will the male last. Because he won't let him win even when it was only a one-sided competition. Jeno always wins no matter what which is weird why he's struggling now.

He stares at the blue-haired boy longer now, snapping his fingers every two minutes. Whatever the spell he puts on, nothing seems to affect the human. Jeno starts sweating as it's the first time he has to put so much effort that he accidentally gets affected instead. Cursing under his breath, Jeno clenches his fists. Oh, how he hates when his powers turn on him!

He has to find out that guy's name.

➷

A bunch of students leaves the hall. Jeno knows it's impossible to spot the blue-haired target even when his hair is eye-catching. Instead, he finds his roommate Renjun who almost falls to the floor just because people keep pushing him.

"Careful here," Jeno catches the boy before the latter could kiss the first floor.

"Oh, Jeno! I was looking for you!"

Renjun clings to the black-haired male, making the latter soften around him. This boy always has something pure about him, therefore Jeno never messes with him.

"How was the rector's speech?" Jeno asks to know if Renjun feels the same.

But his friend is different.

"It was very moving! I'll do everything to perform well this semester!"

"Moving? What exactly was moving?" Jeno can't help but laugh.

"Everything! His speech was planned so well! I almost got emotional."

Jeno stares at Renjun in silence which makes the latter pout.

"Whatever," he mumbles and motions for them to leave too.

Jeno knows that they're different. Renjun is studying arts, which tells a lot about why he's a sensitive and emotional person. He also loves reading poetry in his free time. A literal arts man! Meanwhile, Jeno is into architecture. Lines and numbers, everything straightforward.

Both of them have a good imagination.

But even with such imagination, Renjun will never realize that his roommate is a half-demon.